Top athletes of the week

It's not just playoff time on the high school sports scene, but a time when many teenage athletes put on some of their better performances.

 

Lots happening this past week with exceptional showings in the pool and gym as well as on the ice. Here are some of the big time performances that I caught this week. Let me know if I missed any and have a great Family Day on this Holiday weekend.

 

Brett D'Souza, Michael Power/St. Joseph. It is rare for an athlete to compete and win five championship swim races in the same day. And, we're not even talking about qualifying heats. D'Souza was first in the 50 and 200-metre freestyle races as well as the 100-metre individual medley and 100-metre butterfly. He also helped the Power 400-metre freestyle relay team to the winners podium.

Seth Evershed, Michael Power/St. Joseph. A junior-age basketball player - and we've mentioned him before as being one of the better ones in this city. Try 39 points, not new scoring in big numbers for him, in a 58-49 win over Bishop Allen in a Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association league win.
Julie Hebert, Aurora. Her name has been on this list before and, well, scoring four goals in a 7-2 win over Huron Heights in a York Region varsity girls hockey game is worth mentioning. Aurora is the run-away leader in the league this year with a 12-0 record. Hebert, a winger who lives in Sudbury is being billeted in Aurora so she can play for a local Intermediate Double-A team that competes in the Provincial Women's Hockey League.
Samantha Hu, York Mills. She's ranked in the Top 20 in the 200-metre butterfly in Canada for her age class. Winner of three individual races, as well as helping her team to a first place finish in the 200-metre medley relay at the Toronto District School Board North Division swim finals, she's off to the city championships next week hoping to qualify for the provincial finals in March.

Omar Kanji, Upper Canada. I know, he was the Star's male athlete of the week after stopping 57 of 58 shots in a 4-0 hockey win over Ridley. The Blues ace goalkeeper also beat Appleby 3-1 and just the other day sparkled in a 4-0 win over Hill Academy.

Kolbee McCrea, Notre Dame. Six goals in three hockey games for her as the Burlington-area school, with a Halton Region league record of 7-1, beat Blakelock of Oakville 4-1 in the final of the Queen of Hearts tournament. By the way, Blakelock leads the Conference that Notre Dame plays in, by one point.
Paolo Olavario, Birchmount Park. Four races and four gold medals in four different events. He left the Toronto District School Board East Division swim finals with a pile of medals. First place in the 100 metre backstroke, 100 metre individual medley and 100 metre freestyle as well as leading the 200 metre medley relay to a gold medal. 
Paige Schultz, Harbord. Gold medals in three individual swim races and another with the 200-metre freestyle relay team at the TDSB SOuth Region finals, she's out to add to her collection with the citywide and provincial championships still to go. Signed to a scholarship in the fall at Arizona State University, she won three medals for Canada at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Guam two years.
Tyler Sikura, St. Andrew's. He's a 6-foot forward who loves the game of hockey and is approaching a 50-point season for the Saints junior varsity team. Get this, the team has a 21-1-1 record. In his last game, and called up to play with the varsity squad, the Aurora-native had three assists in an 8-1 Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association win over Ridley.

Matthew Wright, Martingrove. A former Toronto Star "athlete of the week", he's really stepped up his game and piled up 38 points in a 77-65 Toronto District School Board West Division senior basketball semifinal. The Bears are pushing the 30-win column this year and, with some luck, could be headed to the provincial playoffs.

113 points scored in Toronto high school basketball game

 

I've been trying to figure this one out all evening. And yes, I'm one for fair play.

 

Here's the scene and it's all true. A Toronto high school basketball game, make that a junior game. Players in grade 10 and, obviously, trying to send a message that their time is coming soon to make the jump to the senior team. That's fine. Hard work does pay off and the Carr players are very good athletes.

 

But what I just don't get: beating another team 113-46. This is a junior high school game and one wonders why a team has to win by 67 points? Another question: why would a coach allow a school team to score 113 points in a high school game of four eight-minute quarters?

 

I am talking about the Father Henry Carr Crusaders. While a conflicting indoor track and field meet had five players get permission to leave the basketball team, the Crusaders played with a remaining roster of seven - including all five starters. They won again, which improves their season record to 12-0 in the 28-team Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association league. Carr beat St. Basil, a team struggling to make the playoffs and with a 5-7 record. This was just days after another Carr game hit the century mark: 110-49 over Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton (2-11).

 

Maybe both losing teams are very weak in talent. But I often wonder what goes through the mind of a coach whose team is the only one in the league to have scored 1,044 points, while allowing just 584.

 

Too bad there is no junior provincial playoff so we could see how really good these guys just might be.

 

 

 

Jenner hopes to lead Appleby to hockey title

Brianne Jenner could very well be the next high school hockey star to make Canada's Olympic team.

An excellent academic student at Appleby College, Jenner is even better with skates and a hockey stick.

Captain of the Canadian Under-18 team that won a silver medal at the IIHF tournament last month in Fussen, Germany, she's a forward and one of the top scorers with the Blue Dogs - her Oakville-area private school.

Chosen to the Star's high school female all-star hockey team last year, Jenner is hoping to lead her team to the championship of the North American Prep Hockey Association, which takes place this weekend at Trinity College in Port Hope.

Appleby, Ridley from St. Catharines and Trinity, which also won a silver medal at the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association single/double-A playoffs last year, are the only provincial teams in the tournament that was won last year by the North American Hockey Academy from Stowe, Vt.

Havergal, Branksome Hall and Bishop Strachan, all Toronto private schools who also compete in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association, have no interest in the NAPHA.

 

Toronto high school pools: open or close

Remember all the hullabaloo last year that focused around the public high school swimming pools closing down in Toronto?

We're still a few months away from the one year anniversary, back on April 17, 2008, when the Toronto District School Board selected former Mayor and politician David Crombie to negotiate some kind of a funding solution to keep the pools from closing.Things have been suspiciously quiet.

No one knows for sure if Crombie has had any luck brokering any kind of a deal or coming up with a formula to keep the pools filled with water. Operating funds and capital dollars can total quite a bit of cash and finding it now, even from corporate sponsors and various levels of Government, could be tricky under the current economic conditions.

Crombie, like many others, believes open pools are a good thing. Keeping students active and healthy too. Also getting the community involved. There are others, who claim the pools are too costly. From the chatter I hear, there is lots of concern among the lifeguards, instructors and folks whose jobs are linked to the pools staying open.

In the meanwhile, the provincial high school swim finals are March 3 and 4 at the Etobicoke Olympium. It'll be the largest high school swim meet in Canada. Toronto will have competitors. Wonder how many Board of Education bureaucrats and politicians will be there to see those youngsters challenging for medals, swimming personal best times or wondering if swimming for their schools will be an option next year in this time?

York Mills Collegiate and Wexford Collegiate are among 34 pools funded until 2011. Both schools dominated their respective North and East Regional meets on Monday. Let's see, York Mills swimmers Samanth Hu came first in the 200-metre individual medley and David Hatch also came first in the 100-metre backstroke. Katie Miller of Wexford was first in the 200-metre freestyle and school buddy Tomas Stefanski won in the 50-metre freestyle. The list goes on and on.

They caught my attention this week

Wow, lots happening this week: playoffs, tournaments and even controversial decisions - like the one by the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association that gave the boot to the Pickering Trojans senior boys' basketball team. Check the Star schools website for more.

And, yes, lots of great efforts by high school athletes. Here are just a few who caught my attention.

Chase Campbell, St. Michael’s. No sooner does he score 35 points in a 73-55 CISAA senior boys’ basketball game, the talented point guard fires back with 35 more in a 73-70 loss to St. Anne of Tecumseh at the Ontario Catholic Classic.

Josh Collins, Vaughan. He was chosen MVP at the Preston Memorial senior boys’ basketball tournament in Pickering. Closing in on 10 games with 25 or more points this year, he likes playing Vaughan Road of Toronto. Scored 20 in 60-44 tournament championship win and had 25 in a 60-36 preliminary round game, also against Vaughan Road.

Jenna Dingeldein, Martingrove. Give her a pair of skates and a stick and she can play any position. She scored five goals in an 8-2 divisional championship win over Richview at the Cardinal Carter Classic varsity girls’ hockey tournament. In her league, rules restrict players to no more than three goals.

Danielle Gagne, Mayfield. One of the youngest female high school hockey players in Peel Region, she’s also one of the best. She scored three goals in a 6-1 thumping of St. Edmund Campion to boost the Mavericks record to 7-0 – and the only unbeaten team in the 11-school league.

Paul Geiger, Stouffville. He’s one of the more consistent hockey players in York Region and on his team, now 2-4-2 in league play and far different from the program that won the past two provincial single/double-A championship. He can score too: three goals in a 6-2 playoff win over Father Bressani.

Thea Imbrogno, St. Basil. She just might be league MVP. A former Toronto Star all-star, she scored five goals in a 10-0 crushing of Bishop Allen in a Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association league game. St. Basil is the only undefeated team in the 10-school league.

Chadrack Lufile, Assumption. He had four dunks, missed two more, converted three ally-oops and scored 25 points in a 77-61 win over St. Michael’s on opening day of the Ontario Catholic Classic in St. Catharines. Tack on 28 more in a 60-59 win over Loyola from Oakville.

Micqueel Martin, Downsview. Some say, he’s a rising basketball star. One thing is certain, he can score. Fired 41 points and his team still lost to Newtonbrook 66-64 in a Toronto District School Board North Division junior boys quarterfinal game.

Kevin Pangos, Denison. A point guard, with a solid understanding for basketball, he scored 41 points for his senior team in a 79-68 win over Bawating of Sault Ste. Marie at the Guy Vetrie Invitational tournament in Sault Ste. Marie.

Andrea Shapiro, Forest Hill. Scored three goals and added a pair of assists in a convincing 8-4 win over Harbord to secure top spot in the Toronto District School Board Tier Two varsity girls’ hockey league. Forest Hill has a record of six wins in seven games.

No more than three goals in a girls' game

Cherie Piper. Name sound familiar?

Well, she played hockey while attending Toronto's Albert Campbell Collegiate and was chosen school athlete of the year in 2000. Then she moved on to Dartmouth and later collected a pile of medals skating with Canada's women's hockey team. Let's see, Olympic medals in 2002 and 2006. In between, a medal at the world championships.

But Piper may also be responsible for something else - a rule in the Toronto District School Board Tier Two varsity girls' hockey league that limits female players to no more than three goals a game.

Piper once scored 11 goals in a high school game. Yup, good player back then too - but, maybe, too much scoring for one school game, which also raises the question about why the coach kept putting her back on the ice. Or how bad was the other squad?

Well, a couple of players in the TDSB this season have scored more than three goals in a game. But you guessed it: They only got credit for three. It's true: Goals were taken away.

Not sure if the league is saying, enough is enough.

More bad news for Pickering High hoops

Can't figure out why the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association, the folks who say they really like to promote helping young people in sports, just slammed the door on the Pickering high school senior boys' basketball team.

Pickering, assuming the team wins in that league east of Toronto, won't be able to defend the OFSAA title it has won the past two years. That's because OFSAA gave the Trojans the heave-ho, part of a sanction package handed down on the Ajax-area school.

Nice, eh?

Not only is the team not invited to the March Madness of high school basketball in Windsor, but disgraced Trojans head coach Mike Gordensky was the recipient of more punitive action: suspended by OFSAA for one year from coaching at any OFSAA championship or sanctioned event and a further nine month probationary period.

Is it all because Gordensky gambled and used two two ineligible players at that tourney in South Carolina? Is it because other teachers and coaches are jealous of Pickering and squealed - when the opportunity was there? Did people just keep feeding the fire until the Lake Ontario Secondary Schools Association and OFSAA each chose to lay down some heavy penalties?

Gordensky, as we know, made a mistake. If it's so important to bash this guy, a volunteer, because of a mistake, so be it. But for OFSAA to now drop the gong on a bunch of players - the same guys who won an award for sportsmanship at a tournament, the same students who have worked hard at school and on the hardwood, I have to wonder if the Gong Show has returned.

What a mess.

Toronto school trustee wants students playing sports

Had a chance to talk with Toronto District School Board trustee Josh Matlow, who caters to Ward 11 and among his schools is North Toronto Collegiate.

You might remember that North Toronto pulled the plug on its senior football team last fall, when a teacher was not available to supervise or coach at practices and games. A rich tradition of senior football success shelved - and not sure for how long. No complaint with former senior coach Danny Russell, a good guy, who decided to coach at the junior level. His son played for the junior team.

Well, Matlow is not happy. He was hoping one of the bureaucrats in the board would have come up with a solution by now that would allow students to take part in league games - with coaching and supervision by community volunteers approved by the school principal. Now, something about liability calls for a teacher to be on duty - or there is no team. I have heard that teachers are also required to ensure things don't get out of hand.

Apparently, teachers at North Toronto got all ticked at me because of a story that appeared in the Star back in September. Hey, I have no complaint with them. They work hard, volunteer and have all kinds of things to do. I just told the truth. On a personal note, I don't see standing around for a few practices and games in the fall is so bad - when others, from the community, do the coaching.

So, Matlow figures a five-month wait is enough. He's going to bring his concerns to a board meeting later this month - calling for adjustments, or a new plan, to deal with obstacles, issues and have things back in place by the start of the new school year. Good luck, Josh.

What's next?

Seems like Mike Gordensky is simply doomed - for now.

A veteran high school basketball coach and a volunteer, he lost his appeal for reinstatement or even a more lenient penalty after a teacher reported him for knowingly using two ineligible players on his Pickering team at a tournament in South Carolina last December.

On Monday, Gordensky was informed in an e-mail - no letter or phone call - that he lost his appeal to have a ban on him coaching Pickering at league and playoff games. The decision, by a three-member Lake Ontario Secondary Schools Association Review Panel, was upheld. And OFSAA, still quiet about its review, could also level sanctions, which could be a ban on Gordensky from coaching his team at the Ontario playoffs next month in Windsor. That's assuming Pickering, with an overall 38-7 record and unbeaten in league play, makes it.

Gordensky has never denied what he did. He has admitted to a mistake and apologized. He used the players to try to expose them to U.S. college and university coaches at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach.

Website discussion boards have had a field day with this one - and the majority believe LOSSA came down too hard.

What's interesting is that LOSSA threw out Gordensky's comments that it violated its own constitution by using a member of the Review Panel that was in a conflict of interest. And the e-mail from LOSSA President Darren Hodkinson, a teacher at Notre Dame High in Ajax, didn't even comment about another coach who used an ineligible volleyball player in a league game - and was not suspended.

LOSSA is hoping everything quiets down.

But the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation isn't finished. It doesn't like teachers pointing fingers at other teachers - and rightly so.

Who let the dogs out

It was back in November, when the guys at Appleby College in Oakville started the private school hockey season with three consecutive losses.

Called the Blue Dogs, things weren’t going well.

Everytime I hear the word “dogs”, for some reason, I start with a few lines of “Who Let the Dogs Out”, that ubiquitous sports anthem. 

Fast forward to now, and Appleby’s Blue Dogs  just might be one of the hottest school teams on ice.

Appleby has done well in 2009 beating St. Michael’s 4-2 and, a few days later, Upper Canada 4-3 in another league game. Both wins were against very good high school hockey programs.

Now in fourth place of a very competitive Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association, Appleby would need to flop very badly in the next few weeks to miss out on a trip to the provincial single/double-A playoffs set for Peterborough in March.

A case of a team turning things around, Appleby entered the Bur Bear tournament – one of the better ones in the province - not sure of things.  After a three-day showdown, with some of the better teams in Ontario, Appleby just might be signalling plans for a provincial medal.

Appleby beat Notre Dame of Welland 3-1 in the 25^th annual Bur Bear Gold Division championship game on Saturday. To get to the final, Appleby defeated St. Thomas Aquinas of Oakville 3-1 in a quarterfinal and then knocked off a very good team in Nelson from Burlington, 2-1, in a semi-final. Toss in a 2-1 victory over Forest Heights of Kitchener, a 3-2 win over Bishop Tonnos of Ancaster and 5-3 over Blakelock of Oakville in pool games.

So, six games and six wins in 76 hours. Not bad at all.

Excuse me, I'm humming "Who Let the Dogs Out" again.